Primary Care Alberta’s Screen Test program celebrates a significant milestone this fall.
The popular mobile mammography program has been travelling to rural and remote communities for 35 years, improving access to routine breast cancer screening for thousands of Albertans.
Screen Test began in 1990 with two offices in Calgary and Edmonton. The mobile mammography program launched the following year with the very first community visit in Hinton on Sept. 18, 1991.
In its first year, the program visited 26 different communities across the province. Screen Test now has two mobile mammography trailers travelling to 120 Alberta communities, seeing up to 15,000 clients each year.
Between October 1990 and January 2025, Screen Test completed over 575,000 mammograms. Of these, 28,068 abnormalities were detected with additional testing recommended.
Screen Test mammograms also identified more than 3,100 breast cancers in that time.
New and returning clients can book mobile mammography appointments by calling 1-800-667-0604. Returning clients are notified six weeks beforehand with the dates and location of the mobile unit in their community.
Individuals between 40 and 74 years of age are encouraged to discuss their breast cancer risk with a health care provider to determine whether screening is right for them.
If you notice any breast changes or have concerns about your breast health, please see a doctor right away. Do not wait for your routine mammogram.
Screening results are available online by signing up for MyHealth Records or the MyChart app on your mobile device.
For more information about Screen Test mobile mammography and other screening programs provided by Primary Care Alberta, visit screeningforlife.ca.
Written by: Stan Ashbee – Vista Radio
